Memorial Held for Minneapolis Police Shooting Victim Justine Ruszczyk

Share this:

This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

On the shores of a picturesque Minneapolis lake, family and friends of Justine Ruszczyk shared hugs and listened to music at a public memorial to remember the Australian woman fatally shot by police last month.

Many of those gathering at Lake Harriet Park in southwest Minneapolis for the sunset memorial wore blue, Ruszczyk’s favorite color.

The sound of two didgeridoos being played next to the Australian flag highlighted Ruszczyk’s heritage. Plans called for luminarias and a silent walk around the lake at the end of the memorial.

Ruszczyk’s fiance, Don Damond, was expected to speak; the two were planning to marry this month.

Ruszczyk, 40, called 911 late July 15 to report a possible sexual assault in the alley near her home. Less than 30 minutes later, she was dead from a gunshot wound to the abdomen, having been shot by one of the two police officers who responded to the call.

Officer Matthew Harrity told investigators that he drove to the scene and was startled by a “loud sound” near the squad car, according to Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Immediately afterward, Ruszczyk approached the driver’s side window, and Harrity’s partner, Mohamed Noor, shot Ruszczyk through the window, Harrity said.

A search warrant from Hennepin County District Court obtained by Minneapolis Public Radio suggests that startling sound may have been Ruszczyk slapping the patrol car.

Both Harrity and Noor are on administrative leave amid the investigation into the shooting.

Minnesota authorities are investigating the shooting death of an Australian woman who was killed by a Minneapolis police officer Saturday night. (Credit: Stephen Govel via CNN)

Beloved spiritual healer

Though she was a veterinary surgeon in her native country, Ruszczyk worked as a spiritual healer, yoga and meditation instructor and life coach in Minnesota. Friday’s memorial was hosted by the Lake Harriet Spiritual Community, the organization where she worked.

Her friends have said the concern Ruszczyk showed that night for a possible assault victim was characteristic of her caring nature.

Video of Ruszczyk rescuing a group of ducklings from a storm drain, carrying them out in her skirt and reuniting them with their mother nearby, was another example, friends and family have said. They planned to show that video at the memorial.